We eat, we drink, we cook, we hoard… maybe I should elaborate. Upon recent discovery, we realized that our passion for fine food and well-crafted wines is not just a commonality we share. This insatiable appetite(literally) fosters a lifestyle with one undeniable habit… we are all cookbook hoarders. There are the classics like the Silver Spoon and Larousse Gastronomique (several editions may I boast) and Jacques Pepin’s La Technique and Julia Child to the newest members of our coveted shelves…. Daniel Humm’s Eleven Madison Park , Eric Ripert’s Le Bernadin, Complete Robuchon and of course our neighbor Thomas Keller’s complete collection. If we combined our powers(like those Captain Planet kids) we would honestly be able to line every wall in our tasting salon and still have stacks on the floors… we won’t get rid of the wine.
As we swap books and recipes we are always looking for great staples that can be tweaked to our fancy to elevate the delicious elixir in our glass in hopes of reaching “Napa Nirvana”. The ‘Seasons in the Wine Country’ features recipes from the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone provides wonderful recipes that ensure perfect results from their easy to follow directions. With a few practice rounds(yes my job is soooo hard… haha) you can start to elaborate and unleash that creativity and make it your own….
This recipe was perfect with our 2009 hope & grace Santa Lucia Highlands Doctor’s Vineyard Pinot Noir… Sweet, savory, salty and succulent! So delicious the dogs won’t have a chance to taste even a morsel!
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with apple bacon compote-Recipe by The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, Cate Conniff, Seasons in the Wine Country -
| 24 Fresh Sage leavesTwo 1-lb pork tenderloins1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons applewood-smoked bacon (about 4 slices), cut into ¼-inch-wide slices 2 garlic cloves, cut into thin slices |
1 small white onion(about 8 ounces), peeled, halved, and cut into ¼-inch slices1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves4 tart green apples(about 2 pounds), cored and cut into ½-inch cubes½ cup unfiltered apple cider |
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mince 8 of the sage leaves and reserve until needed.
2. Bring the tenderloins to room temperature and dry completely with paper towels.
3. Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet. Season the pork with 1 teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium-high heat, heat the 2 tablespoons of oil until a sheen develops and oil begins to separate. Add the pork and brown well and evenly on all sides, turning occasionally, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Remove the pork from the pan (reserve the pan) and place the pork on a roasting rack. Place the pork on the middle rack in the oven and roast until the center of the meat reaches and internal temperature of 145°F for medium-rare( pink in the middle), about 25 minutes, or 150°% for medium, 30 to 35 minutes.
5. While the pork roasts, add the bacon to the reserved pan and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until aromatic. Stir in the onion, minced sage, and thyme and sauté stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan for browned bits, until the onion is tender, about 4 minutes. Add the apples and sauté, stirring often, until lightly caramelized and tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Turn the heat to high and add the cider to deglaze the pan. Scrape any remaining browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-high and reduce the liquid to a thick glaze, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Remove from eh heat and keep warm.
7. Remove the pork from the oven and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 10 minutes. The internal temperature will continue to rise by 5 to 10 degrees.
8. While the pork is resting, hear the 1 cup canola oil in a small sauce-pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is warm enough so that the sage sizzle without smoking, fry the remaining 16 sage leaves until crisp, 10 to 20 seconds. Remove the sage leaves and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
9.Cut the pork into ½-inch-thick medallions. Arrange the medallions and border with about ½ cut apple and bacon compote per serving. Place 2 sage leaves on each plate and serve immediately.
As always, we encourage you to try this recipe than make it your own… we always like to go a little barbeque with everything. Throw together some cayenne, smoked paprika, dry mustard, salt and pepper and add something extra to your pork. It’s great with the apple bacon compote…
You won’t stuff this pork into the couch cushions that’s for sure! Bon Appetit!